/ 9 November 2011

Mbalula: History will absolve me over this spy business

Mbalula: History Will Absolve Me Over This Spy Business

Only time would tell if state security agencies were involved in a plot against Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, he wrote in a letter published by the New Age newspaper on Wednesday.

“Should there be any suggestion or confirmation of any form of political orchestration or related malice, only time will tell — and such political ramifications will be dealt with appropriately at that time,” wrote Mbalula.

“For my part, I am certain that history will absolve me. I distance myself from any insinuation that I alleged that the NIA [National Intelligence Agency] operatives are meddling in ANC squabbles.

“It is without a doubt that the political environment within which we operate at this stage is afflicted by mischievous characters for their own political and personal ends and diverting the attention of the organisation to execute its strategic mandate.”

Mbalula was responding to a front page report in the New Age on Tuesday in which he said a woman, claiming to be pregnant with his child, was paid by intelligence agencies to rubbish his name.

He told the newspaper that the woman, who has since been identified by various newspapers as 25-year-old Joyce Molamu, was paid R150 000 by national intelligence operatives, who were meddling in the ANC’s squabbles in the run up to next year’s elective conference in Mangaung.

“State institutions must not be used to fight political wars. It must stop now,” he was quoted as saying.

‘Poisoned’ environment
He describes the political environment within the ANC as “really a poisoned one”.

Mbalula, who has major backing within the ANC Youth League — which wants him to replace Gwede Mantashe as ANC secretary general — said in the Tuesday report that the atmosphere within the ruling party had become “polluted”.

Last weekend, Molamu claimed she fell pregnant when she and Mbalula had unprotected sex after meeting at a party.

Mbalula has since denied that he and Molamu had unprotected sex and claimed he used a condom but it burst.

He denied that Molamu was pregnant and said she was a “serial extortionist”.

In an interview published in City Press on Sunday, Joyce Molamu said she met Mbalula at a party and they had a “two night stand”.

She fell pregnant and they discussed money for her to have an abortion.

She eventually wanted R40 000 to cover her expenses while she took a few months off to heal. — Sapa